20 Questions
by bones freek
Summary: Maybe all it takes is for his son to ask her some questions? Some Booth, and more Brennan, but it all comes down to Parker. My late Christmas one-shot but its all 'cause of the time frame in this fic .


**This is the Christmas one-shot I was working on. I posted this today because of the time frame in this fic. It's pretty different from other seasonal one-shots I've read. And I hope you like and appreciate the difference :) **

**By the way, I don't own Bones.**

It had been two days since she hosted dinner at her place. Two days since she'd seen Booth or any of her co-workers.

Her second cousin had stayed a bit longer and she'd gone home yesterday. Her father was gone after he knew his daughter would be fine with her cousin.

Temperance Brennan was lonely, in other words. And, because its the Christmas season, doesn't that mean no one loves her? That is what her father meant, right?

She had had such a great Christmas, and that's something she hadn't been able to say in a long time. Dinner was successful, no arguments over conspiracies or religions. No odd or uncomfortable questions. Plenty of laughs. Exchanging of gifts. And Booth, Max, and Margaret helped with the afterward cleaning. What more could she ask for?

Why would she ask for more?

Brennan knew. She just didn't want to acknowledge it at once. But, she knew that the last time Christmas was like that, she still had her family with her.

Even after the goodnights.

After the cleaning.

And in the mornings.

Not this time around. Sure, Margaret kept her company. And it turned out she wasn't so bad once she stopped quoting Benjamin Franklin. But Margaret did have to leave at some point.

And when she was gone, Brennan focused on the one task at hand: turning her apartment back to normal. It couldn't look like Christmas at her place anymore; she didn't want further association with the holiday. What she needed to accomplish was done.

Yet, she couldn't find a way to take everything down. After all, her father worked hard on putting it all up.

Her phone rang. Was it a case? A dig? Some sort of work to relieve her from everyday life? Wrong. It was that handsome partner of hers. Well, that's what the caller ID said.

"Hi, Bones!" Parker's voice exploded through her small speaker.

Temperance couldn't help but smile, "Hi, Parker."

He gasped, "How'd you know it was me?"

She teased, "I dunno. Maybe I guessed."

"You're a good guesser, Bones. Hey, guess what!"

"What, Parker?"

"Me and Daddy are gonna go to the diner. He wants you to come with us."

"Do you want me there?"

"Of course, silly! That's why I called you!"

She laughed at the boy's enthusiasm and thought, 'He's just like Booth'

"Then I'd love to join you. Are you going to pick me up?"

"Yup! We're almost there."

"I'll be ready and waiting, Parker."

"Alright! Bye, Bones!"

"Bye."

So maybe someone did love her. Booth loved her... in an 'atta girl kinda way'. That's what he said anyway. And she so stupidly said it back, but not the way she meant.

Her bell rang. And she let the Booth boys up. She fixed her hair quickly before opening the door.

Bounding down the hallway was an excited Parker and behind him was Booth.

"Booones!"

"Parker!" She knelt down to hug him.

"Hey, Bones," her partner's deeper voice got her attention, "You're ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

Parker added, "You've got an awesome tree, Bones!"

-

They sat at their usual table and ordered what they usually had. A burger and fries for Booth, a salad for Bones, and chicken fingers for Parker.

Booth had thrown Brennan a smile after she'd asked Parker, "So, what did Santa bring you?"

And the partners listened to what Parker had to say and watched him draw on the frosted window.

At long last, the young boy grew tired of talking. He took his turn in asking questions then.

"Bones, what was your favorite toy when you were little?"

"Did Santa always bring you everything you wanted?"

Booth kept his smile in place as he watched her reminisce with his son. He wondered how he could be so close to having a family just like this, but so far away at the same time. He sighed, inwardly, of course, so as to not interfere with the boy's line of questioning.

Bones on the other hand was feeling much better, given she was being rousted by her partner's son. She had a sense of being wanted. And for now, it was enough to fill the void. All she really desired was to be wanted anyway.

It came time to pay the bill and that is when Booth felt around his pockets for his wallet. He'd left it in the SUV. "I left my wallet in the car, Bones. I'll be right back."

When he was gone, Parker spoke again. "Bones?"

"Yes?"

"Can a person want another person for Christmas?"

This hit close to home, considering she wanted Booth, and not just for Christmas. Temperance had wanted the man for a long time. "Yes, Parker. It can happen," she laughed.

"Did you ever want anyone for Christmas?"

"Yeah, I do," Brennan had slipped up. What she meant was: Yeah, I did.

"You do? Tell me, Bones! Who is it? I'll keep it a secret! I promise!"

Temperance felt daring, it must have been because of the time of year, "If you can guess, I'll tell you if you got it right."

"Is it gonna be like a guessing game?"

"Yeah, we'll make it that '20 Questions' game."

He smiled his father's smile, "Okay, Bones. Is it a guy?"

She couldn't help but snicker at Parker's innocence, "Yes, Parker. It is a man."

"I knew it! Okay, okay, is he your friend?"

"Yup, he's a very good friend."

"Um... Does he know Dr. Hodgins, and Cam, and Angela?"

This isn't so bad, Brennan thought. "Yes."

"So, he works at the Jeffersonian?"

"No, he doesn't."

"Hmm... Then, is he in the FBI?"

She glanced across the street where the SUV stayed parked; Booth just didn't seem to know where his wallet was, "Yes, Parker. He is."

"Is he strong, Bones?"

"Very strong."

"Does Daddy know him?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Is he tall?"

"He's pretty tall."

"How 'bout handsome? Is he handsome, Bones? Mom says I'm handsome."

"Your mother is right. You are. And so is this person."

She checked the scene outside & Booth was gone. 'Probably making his way back in here.'

"Does he have brown hair?" Parker asked curiously.

"Ah, good question... Yeah. He's got brown hair."

His smile grew wider, "Is he in the room?!"

Brennan frowned. She thought Parker would've guessed, "No, he isn't." But then Booth rejoined them and she changed her answer to: "Oh, wait, yes now he is."

"I knew it! I'm a good guesser, too!"

"Indeed you are."

Booth was definitely confused. "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing," in unison.

Parker said, "I have questions left over. Can I still use them?"

Booth watched as his son and partner continued their somewhat private conversation.

"Uh-huh. What do you want to ask?"

"Why don't you tell him?"

"I don't know. I... I don't know."

"Are you scared?"

"Yes, I am. Almost all the time."

"Why? I'm sure he likes you."

"Sometimes when you're sure, it turns out you're wrong."

It was time for Booth to cut in, "Whoa, what's going on? Is everything alright, Bones?" He looked at her with compassion and care written across his face and that melted her (metaphoric) heart.

She reached for the hand that was already on the table. "I'm fine, Booth."

"But I know he does Bones! I know! He says stuff like that to Mom all the time!"

Her turn to question him: "What 'stuff'?"

"You know: adult stuff. Love and relationships and you. Dad says I can't understand what he's gotta go through."

She looked at Booth and turned back to Parker, "I think you know some things about that. You're smart. But he has no clue what I go through."

"Thanks, Bones. You're smart too."

Booth put the money on the table and decided that the conversation was odd enough; no need to add to it.

"Bones, I have to get Parker back to his mom. Come with me?"

Temperance smiled, "Sure."

-

The goodbyes were said and Parker was home. Brennan wanted to say something but -

"So what was that whole conversation with Parker about?"

"We played '20 Questions'."

"What were the questions about?"

She had almost forgotten how they got into the whole thing, "Wanting someone for Christmas."

"Huh?"

"He wanted to know if one could wish for another person for Christmas."

"And what did you say exactly?"

Exactly? Well... "Um, I said yes it's possible and he then asked if I ever wanted someone... So I said, 'Yes, I do'."

He hummed a bit, "So who is it, Bones?" Booth looked anxious.

Brennan was beyond shocked, "How do you claim to read people so well? Even your son knows!"

"Wha- Just tell me!"

"After five years and you still don't understand me. You don't know how I... Never mind."

"How you what, Bones? Tell me. Please, I want to know."

Brennan leaned into the headrest, "Who would've thought it would be this difficult to tell you how I... I feel."

Had she gotten her way, Brennan wouldn't have told her partner how she cared for him in the truck. She didn't know how she'd have done it, but just not like this.

Once they parked, she felt like storming out of the car and running upstairs and either cry in the shower or throw a plate against her wall. Emotions took her over and she didn't know how to handle it. It was just like this morning. Almost like fifteen years ago.

"Forget it, Booth," she unbuckled her belt and opened her door.

But he wasn't gonna have it that way. He was out and around the car before she closed her door. Booth locked her between himself and the SUV. "No. I won't forget it, Bones. Who? Who is it?"

"You, Booth! Its you! Merry fucking Christmas! Oh! And Merry Christmas to me, too, right? Because I get an entire weight taken off of my shoulders by showing these goddamn irrational emotions, right? Right?!"

"Right."

Brennan looked disgusted but mesmerized at how he could just agree with her rantings. And then he kissed her and the rantings didn't matter. The Christmas dinner from two nights ago didn't matter. Her memories of fifteen years ago, the fact that he was her partner, her fears. None of it made a difference in how she felt. She was finally wanted. She was home. And so was he. That was the best feeling.

He pulled back then, and smiled. "You got what you wanted, Bones, you've got me. Merry Christmas."

**So I hope it was good for you :) **

**(That came out just a bit dirty...) Anyways, I hope you've all had a great Christmas or whatever else you might celebrate. I'm not sure. **

**But... If you could be so kind as to leave me a review, it would be like a gift to me!**


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